Terrorism

Seven “terrorist” youths acquitted by court

By NA Ansari,
The Milli Gazette

Published Online: Mar 21, 2011

Print Issue: 1-15 March 2011

New Delhi: Seven youths: Saqib Rahman, Bashir Ahmad Shah, Nazeer Ahmad Saifi, Haji Ghulam Moinuddin Dar, Abdul Majeed Bhat, Abdul Qaiyyum Khan and Virender Kumar who were arrested by Delhi police in July 2005, according to police, near Gurgaon-Delhi Road after an encounter were ordered by Additional Session Judge Virender Bhat to be released as they were found to be innocent. While ordering their release, the Hon. Judge said that police very cleverly concocted the story of encounter which was, truly speaking, fake. Justice Virender Bhat said that there was no encounter at all and added that the whole story of encounter was fabricated by Inspector Ravinder Tyagi together with Asstt. Sub-Inspector Nirakar, Charan Singh and Mahinder Singh in Dhaula Kuan office of Delhi Police.

The prosecution had stated on behalf of Delhi police that four persons were sitting in a car. Police got suspicious and when they approached their car, persons in the car tried to flee but police chased them and caught all of them after an encounter and an army uniform, 50,000 rupees in fake currencies and a map of Palam Air Force Station were recovered from them. Subsequently, after questioning they named three other persons who also were arrested and one AK 47 rifle, several magazines, cartridges, hand grenades etc. were recovered from them. Police also said in its charge sheet that they were acting on the instructions of ISI. The arrested persons, however, told the court that they have been falsely implicated and that all of them are innocent. Moinuddin Dar said before Justice Bhat that he was in fact working as a volunteer in anti-terrorist operation in Kashmir and had played an important role in the surrender of many terrorists but he too had been framed in this case.

After hearing the statements of these people that they are innocent the Hon’ Judge said that police story of encounter is totally fabricated and that the statements of these people that they are innocent are trustworthy. The Judge also expressed his anger and dissatisfaction at police’s method of investigation and said that the prosecution could not submit any proof to confirm that these people are really terrorists and that they have any connection with ISI. He said that police in fact did not investigate the crimes these people allegedly committed. Moreover, he said, police could neither produce the map, arms or fake currency etc recovered from these people nor could find the source from where these were obtained. He also issued a notice to Delhi Police Commissioner to order an enquiry into misuse of power by these four policemen and send him a complete report within three months. The judge also said at the end that these four police personnel have created a shameful and embarrassing situation for the entire Delhi police force and ‘in my opinion there cannot be a more serious crime by a police officer than falsely implicating innocent citizens in serious criminal cases like terrorism.’

This article appeared in The Milli Gazette print issue of 1-15 March 2011 on page no. 4

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